


Orphan

by AutisticWriter



Series: Chibi-chan and Tooru-nii [3]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst with a Happy Ending, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Ficlet, Fluff and Angst, Friendship, Gen, Orphan Hinata Shouyou, Orphans, Pre-Canon, Volleyball, Worry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-19
Updated: 2019-06-19
Packaged: 2020-05-14 23:27:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 858
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19283374
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AutisticWriter/pseuds/AutisticWriter
Summary: A week after Shouyou came to his house, Tooru wonders why Shouyou hasn’t invited him to his place in return. After a conversation with Hajime, Tooru decides to bring up the topic with Shouyou. And he soon learns the reason why Shouyou never speaks about his family: he doesn’t have one.





	Orphan

As far as Tooru is aware, when a kid invites their friend around their house after school, it’s kind of considered a courtesy for the friend to invite them around sometime in the near future. At least, that’s how it works for Tooru and Hajime and all his other friends at school.

So when a week passes since the day Shouyou came around his house after school and Shouyou hasn’t even brought up Tooru coming to his house, he has to wonder if everything is okay. To stop worry eating away at him, Tooru decides to bring it up with Hajime, his best friend.

As they toss a volleyball between each other in their favourite spot at the back of the playing field, Tooru says, “Iwa-chan?”

Hajime looks at him, frowning. “What’s with the whiny tone, Tooru? Do you want something from me?”

“No, I just… can I ask you something?” Tooru says, tossing the ball high into the air.

Standing up, Hajime watches the ball soar towards him, jumps and spikes the ball straight at Tooru. And as Tooru struggles to catch the ball, he grins and says, “Sure.”

“Okay, so… you know Shouyou?”

“You mean the kid you met on that creepy bit of wasteland and introduced to volleyball? Of course I do. You never shut up about him, Crappykawa.”

Tooru lets out an exaggerated gasp, pressing a hand to his chest. “Iwa-chan is so mean!”

Hajime snorts. “Dork. So, what about him?”

“Well, uh… I had Shou-kun around my house last week, but… he hasn’t invited me back. And, well, whenever I’ve done this before, they always invite me ‘round their house soon. You think something’s wrong?”

“Hmm,” Hajime says, holding the ball to his chest. “I can think of two options. One: he doesn’t like you.” He holds up a hand to stop Tooru protesting, giving a slight smirk to show it was a joke. But his smirk fades as he says, “Or two: he doesn’t want you to come to his house because he’s not allowed friends over, or… he’s embarrassed or scared to show you his home.”

Tooru stares at Hajime, his stomach going tight. “Hajime, you mean… Shouyou might have a bad home life?”

“Well, there’s no way to tell. I think you should just ask, but… be gentle about it, okay?”

He nods and thanks Hajime, but he can’t stop worrying. He needs to find out what is going on with Shouyou, and fast.

\---

The moment volleyball practise is over, Tooru hurtles off of the campus and runs his usual route home. He bursts through the trees into his and Shouyou’s meeting ground, and finds Shouyou practising spiking against the wall, totally focused.

“Hey, Shou-kun!” he calls, and Shouyou turns around.

“Tooru!” Shouyou says, beaming and running over. “I’m getting so much better. You need to see.”

“All in good time, Chibi-chan. But… can I ask you something first?”

“Sure thing.” But then Shouyou looks at his face, and his smile fades. “Wait, are you okay?”

“I’m fine, don’t worry. It’s just… Shou-kun, is there a reason you haven’t invited me ‘round your house?”

“Oh,” Shouyou says, wilting.

“If, if you’re worried cos you’re poor, that doesn’t bother me. And, and if your home is small, that’s not important. And, and if your parents won’t let you, then they’re jerks and we can just carry on like this. I just need to know… are you okay?”

Shouyou stares up at him, an unreadable expression on his face. “You were… worried about me? Tooru, I, I’m fine, really. It’s just…” He takes a deep breath. “I live in an orphanage, and—”

“You’re an orphan?!” Tooru cries before he can stop himself. “Sorry.”

“Eh, it’s okay. Lot of people react that way. Yeah, I don’t have parents. I never knew them. Died in a car crash when I was a baby. I’ve lived at the orphanage ever since.”

“Oh, Shou-kun, I’m so sorry,” Tooru says, putting a hand on his shoulder. And then he realises how much pity just dripped from his voice, and he adds, “Sorry. I didn’t mean it to come out like that.”

Shouyou shrugs, sighing. “You think an orphan’s never been pitied before?” He straightens up, managing a smile. “But it’s fine. I know you’re not being a jerk.”

“That’s good. so… do you get treated well there?”

“Yeah, they look after us, feed us and stuff. I have to share a bedroom and my clothes are always hand-me-downs, but… we’re all looked after pretty well. It’s just… we’re not allowed to have friends over.”

“Oh, I get it,” Tooru says. “That’s why you didn’t invite me ‘round.”

Shouyou nods. “Yep. Are you mad?”

“Of course not. I just wanted to check you’re okay.”

“You’re a good friend, Tooru,” Shouyou says. “Thanks for caring. And… we can still meet up here, right?”

“Yeah, sure we can. And you can come to my place whenever you want.”

Shouyou grins and hands Tooru the ball. “Awesome. Now, can we practise?”

Tooru watches his friend return to his normal, hyper self, and spins the ball between his hands, smiling. “Heck yeah.”

**Author's Note:**

> If you want me to write you a short fic, drop in a prompt at my [personal prompt meme](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/AutisticWriters_Personal_Prompt_Meme)!


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